National Republican., 1887-12-10
WHEN 1 WENT FISHING WITH
DAD.
BY NJ. y. vANDYNE.

When l was a boy-Im an old man now;
Look at the lines across my brow:
Old Time has furrowed them there.
My back Is bent and my eyes are dim;
He has placed his finger on every limb,
And pulled out most of my hair.
But If life has reached December,
I'm net too old TO remember
We would each OF us shoulder hispart of the
And joyinily start along the road
But dads was the heaviest share.
Out Of the village about a mile,
Over meadow, across q stile,
And then we were almost there,
Dear old brook. i can see 1t still,
The NOISY bank and the old gray mill,
Where went fishing with dad.
We would wander about for little space
To find the coziest, shadiest place,
Before we went to work.
Then dad would arrange his rod and line,
And tell me lust how to manage mine
When the ish began 70 jerk.
If only could feel as I used to then 3
II the days could only come back again.
When went fishing with dad
We armed our hooks with the. wriggling bait,
Then seated ourselves on the bank TO wait
And see II the fish would bite.
Sometimes they would only take look,
As If they thought there might be hook.
But couldn't be certain quite.
think
Would always look at the line and wink,
When went fishing with dad.
And so we fished TIL the sun was high,
And the morning hours were all gone by,
And the village clock struck one.
~ am hungry, Jim," then dad would say;
Lets give the fishes chance to play
Until our lunch Is done"
AS the big sandwiches used to eat
When Iwent fishing with dad.
Then dad and would lie on the grass
And walt for the heat Of the day to pass:
How happy used to feel
And what wonderful stories he would tell
Amer our midday meal
And how 1 would nestle clio Sc to his side
To hear Of the world so big and wide,
When went fishing with dad!
For eagerly listened to every word;
And then among men OF whom heard
wbS, bSw oSngsa e aIass pay 9ss ss future came
What visions OF wealth and an honored name,
To fill my boyish heart
There Is no dream like the old dream,
There Is no stream like the old stream
Where went fishing with dad.
Then back again to our sport we'd go,
And fish till the sunsets crimson glow
Then hen "a dad S Would % cali 70 me, "Jim we'll stop;
The BASKET ~ full TO the very top;
There arc no ways like the old ways,
There arc no days like the old days,
When went fishing with dad.
Then we took our way through, the meadow
land, ..t
And ciung SO tight 70 his wrinkled hand,
As happy as could be.
The smile on his old face grew so bright
As he locked down at me.
And no one smiles as he used to smile:
And. oh, II seems such long, long while
Since went fishing with dad
1t is way, way back In the weary years
That with aching heart and falling tears
l watched dad go away.
His aged head lay on my breast
When the angels called him home to rest
He was too old to stay,
And dug grave meath the very sod
That my boyish feet so often trod
When went fishing with dad.
The world has given me wealth and fame.
Fulfilled my dreams of an honored name,
AndnowI am weak and old;
| Theland Is mine wherever look;
| / can catch my fish with silver hook;
But my days are almost told.
Uncheered by the love of child or wife,
would spend the end OF my lonely life
Where Invent fishing with dad.
| My limbs are weary, my eyes are dim;
| shall tell them TO lay me close by him
Whenever come 70, die;
| And side by side 1t Will be my wish,
That there by the stream where they used to
They will let the old men lie.
Close by him I would like to be
Buried beueath the old oak tree
Where sat and fshed with dad.
| ,- - 7,Harpers Weekly.